Additional strength under Shellac?

[Zoe351]

Hi, I hope someone can help me. I am a trained manicurist and am trained in shellac. I haven't done any training in nail extensions and don't intend to offer this service. I am happy providing a manicure, pedicure, shellac and nail art service.

My own nails are quite weak and while I find Shellac does give them some strength, I feel I need some kind of additional base coat?....maybe my clients might be interested in the same thing. I have heard of people doing gel overlays to add strength, but I am finding the info about that confusing.

So, first question - Is there a product I can buy that I can use for myself or is my only option to go to a nail tech and have my nails done by them? Ideally I would prefer to avoid that as (sorry to say) I am a total control freak about my nails and I would make any nail tech's job a total misery.

If the only option is to go to a nail tech - what am I actually looking to have done? I would want the freedom to apply my own shellac and be able to remove it when I want to. I am assuming that might limit my choices?

If the only way to do this (and avoid the stress of having someone else do it) is to do training, are there any gel courses that just offer training on gel overlay? This would be the only thing I would ever want to provide as a service to my clients. I don't want to offer extensions and as I understand it most courses are very in depth often lasting over several weeks and the cost and time spent makes no sense when I only want and need part of the information.

I apologise if I have got this all wrong - but I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction. Thank you for reading.

 

[rachelizabeth]

Have you tried the Duraforce top coat? Or doing the base coat, top coat, colour x2, then top coat method?

 

[JERSEY JOCK]

Using the Shellac Duraforce top coat as base coat method of application should sort things out for you

 

[Ceiy]

I've also had good results with Duraforce. On some people I do a double coat of Duraforce and it works well.

 

[Bel's Gels]

Hi, I hope someone can help me. I am a trained manicurist and am trained in shellac. I haven't done any training in nail extensions and don't intend to offer this service. I am happy providing a manicure, pedicure, shellac and nail art service.

My own nails are quite weak and while I find Shellac does give them some strength, I feel I need some kind of additional base coat?....maybe my clients might be interested in the same thing. I have heard of people doing gel overlays to add strength, but I am finding the info about that confusing.

So, first question - Is there a product I can buy that I can use for myself or is my only option to go to a nail tech and have my nails done by them? Ideally I would prefer to avoid that as (sorry to say) I am a total control freak about my nails and I would make any nail tech's job a total misery.

If the only option is to go to a nail tech - what am I actually looking to have done? I would want the freedom to apply my own shellac and be able to remove it when I want to. I am assuming that might limit my choices?

If the only way to do this (and avoid the stress of having someone else do it) is to do training, are there any gel courses that just offer training on gel overlay? This would be the only thing I would ever want to provide as a service to my clients. I don't want to offer extensions and as I understand it most courses are very in depth often lasting over several weeks and the cost and time spent makes no sense when I only want and need part of the information.

I apologise if I have got this all wrong - but I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction. Thank you for reading.

Hi there,
I use a thin (ish) layer of hard gel on my own nails which are thin and weak also. I also keep mine short and neat as that suits me.
I have used the ibd Clear Gel for extra strength and from what I was advised this is exactly what this product is for... to be used on natural nails as an overlay for extra strength.
This is NOT To be confused with the ibd clear builder gel which has a thicker viscosity and is used more so for extensions.

I have used it a few times and found it to be great.
I tried it quite thin the first time and got some lifting but the next time I applied a little bit thicker and it was fine.
It is a hard gel though so it won't soak off.
I just file off my gel polish, prep, then refill and repaint.
Hope that helps.